Krystyna Godowa, owner of Park Deli at 209 Nassau – All photos by Julia Moak
There was a time not long ago when Greenpoint was the ground zero for reasonably priced, delicious, home-cooked food. There seemed to be no end to the great cheap mom and pop little restaurants, delis and butchers that offered fresh, hearty food. Little by little, though,those solid family-run businesses have been disappearing, many the victims of rising rent. It seems that the latest victim is the Park Deli (209 Nassau Avenue), but the owner has vowed to fight to keep her business open.
Park Deli’s charming interior
The deli predates the present Polish ownership, going back 86 years when a German-American William Mullenbrock opened the business. His place drew a loyal following of locals who loved their cold cuts, salads and tasty sandwiches, all reasonably priced. Sold by Mullenbrock in the 50s, it stayed a German place until about two decades ago when Poles took it over, but continued to serve the same German-style food that has made the place a Greenpoint institution. Continue reading →
C is for Cachaco The International Deli, which opened at the corner of Huron Street and Manhattan Avenue in November 2013
Perched at the vibrant intersection of Huron Street and Manhattan Avenue, Cachaco The International Deli turns the purveying of food into a celebration of repartee and community.
It starts with the display case of Colombian breads, savory arepas, crispy buñuelos and unfried almojábanas, just inside the door. Farther into the deli, two rows of tin containers hold ingredients for falafel and tzat chipotle chicken sandwiches. A large blackboard hangs above, advertising these and other items in orange and green chalk.
Sure, people come to Cachaco for the food, which David Wanger, a nearby resident who came in for tacos on a recent Sunday afternoon, carefully described as good and cheap and fast. But it becomes clear that Wanger and others also visit Cachaco because of the people. Continue reading →
Picnic season is here! And, just in the nick of time, brand new store Greenpoint Cheese + Meat (192 Driggs Ave) has flung open its doors to provide us with a dazzling array of treats perfect for enjoying in the park on a lazy summer afternoon.
The store is run by friends and business partners Ursula O’Hara and Jessica Mark and, as the name suggests, they’re focusing mainly on specialist cheeses and cured meats (along with some exceptionally lovely Italian olives). Continue reading →
The many special meal deals at God Bless (including "corn nuggets with fries"???)
This week, Rosie and I set out to try the famous falafel at God Bless Deli, which is somewhat of a Greenpoint legend among the broke, the inebriated, and the down and out.
It might not be now, and it may not happen for a while, but at some point while living on these hallowed streets, God Bless will sneak up on you. It might be at 3am after downing one too many $1 jello shots at Capri Social Club. Or maybe you will find yourself gazing at the $3.50 falafel sandwich during of those in-between-paycheck weeks when your stomach is craving a liter of garlic sauce on a mass of fried chickpeas. If you haven’t found your special falafel moment yet, it’s only a matter of time. And we can’t promise that it won’t be involve at least some level of shame. Continue reading →
Nassau Ave & McGuinness BlvdGraham AveSomewhere in Bushwick
We tend to tune out signage because it’s in our face and everywhere but on closer look we can discover interesting collages with distorted and out of proportion deli meats or utterly strange images like singing hams.
Find excellent farm fresh produce in Greenpoint, right off the Greenpoint Ave G at Poland Farm Fruit & Vegetable.
With a quick glimpse, it looks the same as any other produce stand. You’ve got to hop inside this dingy little market to really appreciate its quality. Now I mean “dingy” as a positive – there’s something unsettling about grocery store racks of artificially colored produce, reminds me of plastic fruit my grandmother used to have in Dollar Store bowls on her end tables.
The greens are crunchy, the fruit is ripe, and everything is inexpensive. The market also offers a small selection of canned goods, herbs, beer and other cold drinks, cheese, yogurt, Polish snacks (with names I won’t attempt to pronounce), fresh breads delivered daily, and lots of tea!
My first trip here was due to a sudden urge to boil a huge pot of vegetable stew. During one visit, I was able to purchase everything (carrots, potatoes, celery, tomato paste, onions, etc.) for under $14. You might catch a wilted head of lettuce or mushy avocado occasionally, but for $0.99, who is gonna complain?!
Watch out for “Mimi” – resident cat and guard of Poland Farm Fruit & Vegetable. Make sure to avoid any foot-on-paw incidents, which I did not. She’s a bad enemy to have.
Eat healthy, and frugally, thanks to Poland Farm Fruit & Vegetable!
Poland Farm Fruit & Vegetable
889 Manhattan Ave @ at the corner of Manhattan & Greenpoint
